motivation: Women cadets in OTA reflect equal motivation

Vishnu Som

Tuesday, June 20, 2006 (Chennai):


As the debate over the role of women in the Army rages on, NDTV found out that when it comes to spirit, women officers do not lack behind male officers.

In the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, where lady cadets are trained, there are some differences in the training methods between men and women, but when it comes to spirit and motivation, there is no difference.

For many of the young women in the Academy looking to make a career in the Army, the entire debate on the role of women comes as a surprise.

Lady cadet Anupreet says that her parents always knew she would end up in the Army.

"They were ready. They knew this was my dream career and they wanted to encourage me and they were always with me," she said.

Difference in training

The cadets insist that there are no differences in the manner in which men and women are treated, though there are differences in how they are trained.

The differences in training, they point out, have nothing to do with sexism in the Indian Army. It is purely a reflection of the different roles men and women serve in the force.

As of now, women in the Indian Army do not serve in combat units, while men on the other hand, will go on to fight on the frontlines, operate tanks, serve on the frontlines or perhaps become commandos.

Women cadets are trained for 24 weeks while their male counterparts are trained for 49 weeks.

Like in the large majority of armed forces in the world, there is a recognition of the physiological differences between men and women which is why women are given more time to complete some of their drills.

However, in other instances the timings required for men and women to qualify are identical.

Officers training the women in the Academy point out that the entire issue of women not being deployed on the frontline is not completely accurate. As engineers or signals officers, woman are in fact deployed on the front.

War time services

In the event of war for instance, women engineers in the Indian Army would travel with Indian armoured formations and service tanks in enemy territory if required.

Similarly, young women officers may be part of a quick reaction team defending their unit and may have to open fire if the situation demands it.

"It is just that we are not allowed into the combat arms right now. We are only allowed into the service arms and we are doing a good job there," said Vibhuti Sharma, a lady cadet.

"And if we are allowed to join the combat arms then we will do a good job there as well," she added.

Like in all military institutions, discipline is key in the Academy. There are controlled opportunities for men and for women to interact with one another.

The barracks for men and women are separate and lights go out at 10 pm and the day ends there.

In this controlled and extremely regimented setup, the instances of harassment of the women in the Academy are almost unheard of.

"The male colleagues help us a lot. They respect us a lot and there is a very cordial relationship and the gentleman cadets are really good to the lady cadets," said Geeta Mishra, another cadet.

For the young women at the Officer Training Academy, the debate on whether women should be part of the armed forces may as well have been a debate from another planet.

All the young women in the Academy are volunteers and their motivation has to be seen to be believed.